


two hands

by evaneddie



Series: dhylen writes one shots [66]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Fluff, Multi, Pizza dinner and movies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:06:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29126190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evaneddie/pseuds/evaneddie
Summary: serious talk over pizza and pixar movies
Relationships: Marjan Marwani (9-1-1 Lone Star)/Mateo Chavez (9-1-1 Lone Star)/Paul Strickland (9-1-1 Lone Star)
Series: dhylen writes one shots [66]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1433956
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23





	two hands

**Author's Note:**

> so i've been the biggest marjeo shipper for ages, and i had a hateful anon in my tumblr inbox about it, all because i "didn't ship marjan and paul". previously, i had made a comment about paul x marjan x mateo and how i love their dynamic and also wouldn't mind if they were a poly throuple. so after this anon came at me, calling me incorrect names, i decided to write this out of spite because i'm that fucking petty. and ngl, i think i am officially fully on board the pauljeo ship. that's their name, i'm coining it now.
> 
> come die over the 911 universe feels with me @evaneddie  
> anyways, hope y'll enjoy!

Mateo looks up from the too bright screen of his phone, his legs curled awkwardly on the cushion, leaving space for Marjan to sit at his feet, her hand gingerly curled around his bare calf muscle. Something he never realised about her until three months ago, is that she loves to always be physically connected to someone. Whenever they’re not working, or not doing anything that requires their hands, they were always touching in one way or another. He smiles softly, looking at where her right hand – the one not touching his leg – is on Paul’s thigh. Who would have thought? He’d gone from feeling lonely most of his life, even when surrounded by family, from being the outcast, the weird one, to feeling more loved and accepted than ever before.

Three months of this. Three months of this comfort, this feeling of belonging, of home. It’s as simple as that, really. Home. Nobody got him like Paul and Marjan do. Sure, they tease him mercilessly, especially when they first met, but it was all always in good heart, and it’s not like he didn’t do it back, like he didn’t love the attention they were giving him.

“How do you think they’re going to react when they find out?” Marjan asks, the only other sound in the room the television playing some movie that none of them are really that interested in. She always seems to know what the other two are thinking, voicing it when they can’t, or don’t want to.

“I have no idea, and that’s the scary part. What if it goes terrible? Or we get transferred, separated?” Trying to breathe deep so he doesn’t go into a spiral of panic – for the third time that day – Mateo puts his phone in his lap, the screen turned off, and fiddles carefully with the hem of his basketball shorts. “Especially 'cause there’s three of us. It’s not the most conventional.”

“No, but hey, they’re good people, and they love us. No matter what, we will always have us,” Paul states simply, his eyes searching Mateo and Marjan’s faces, like he’s looking for something, mapping every single line, every blemish, every gentle corner, into his mind.

Why did they plan this? Pizza at Paul’s place seemed like a wonderful idea at the time, but now that it’s getting closer to the time people are supposed to arrive, the reality of the situation is finally starting to settle in. The entirety of the 126 and their immediate families had been invited for a pizza movie night, a bunch of Pixar films in the selection that is sure to entertain Tommy's two daughters – and Mateo – for ages.

How did they get here? A place so beautiful, so full of life, he can barely comprehend it. Everything about them makes him so happy he struggles to contain it. These last few months have been insane, intense, and every good word that he can’t think of right now. Keeping it a secret from what is essentially their family, though? The hardest thing he’s ever had to do.

And Marjan, loving her in any way can really stress you the fuck out when she does crazy stunts, jumping off tall bridges into the water below without an SCBA or a harness of any kind, scaling the sides of buildings to reach someone, and so many other things that are sure to give Mateo and Paul heart attacks one day. Loving Paul was different, _is_ different. Before him, Mateo had never looked at another guy in a way that crosses the line of friendly by miles. He'd never really given his sexuality much thought, if he's being completely honest. But that one night, six months ago, before it all changed, he'd felt something in his chest, like a crushing weight and a feather touch all at once. It had been one of their hangouts on their day off, sitting in a booth at the far back of Horace's Diner. Something changed, but what, he doesn't know. The air around the trio felt different, more flirty and carefree. It didn't take long for Mateo to realise he'd developed feelings for his friends. Hell, he didn't even know that was possible for anyone in the world until that night. One moment they were chatting aimlessly, about random crap, and the next Mateo had gone silent, wondering what it could all mean.

Sleep didn't welcome him easily after that, so he Googled what it meant after tossing and turning in bed for three hours, getting Siri to read out the text on his screen to him. Eventually, it took him to the word polyamory, and everything clicked into place. Now, here he is, half a year later, living his best life.

Then the doorbell rings, and Mateo’s heart jumps to his throat, and he’s about ready to pass out. The three of them stand in unison, staring at the front door, as if being still and not making a move to see who their first guest is will make them just disappear. 

Paul, the most rational of the three, inhales quietly, deeply, and puts on a soft smile. Looking to Marjan, he steps forward, kissing her forehead so light it was sure to blow away before contact. Before turning to the door, his arm reaches towards Mateo, and out of instinct, the latter reaches back, connecting their hands for a brief moment, squeezing reassuringly, and then letting go.

There's no turning back now.

Over the course of the next hour, the guest filter inside, at least six different conversations running parallel to each other at all times. Everyone looks so happy, content, in their daily lives. Anxiously, Mateo bites at his lower lip, pausing to only take a sip of red wine here and there, barely paying attention to anything but Paul and Marjan. _They love us separately_ , he thinks, _so they'll love us together, too._

TK notices, because of course he does, that there's an ulterior motive for this gathering. "You okay, man?" he asks Mateo, a small flicker of worry in his eyes.

"Marjan, Paul, and me are dating," blurts out Mateo in a big rush of air.

Chatter subsides rather quickly in response, and he can feel everyone's eyes on him, boring into his very soul. Okay, so this is not how any of them had planned on this going.

For Marjan, it was more for her to keep this on the low for as long as they had, scared of what it meant to her religion, to the mosque she'd joined since moving to Texas. Terrified of what it could mean for her. Would they yell at her, call her horrible names, or shun her from her place of worship? Or would it be more passive aggressive like when she'd had Zara talk to her about her modesty - well, lack-thereof? Before she can worry about that, she's got to at least get through this first.

Paul and Marjan glare at Mateo for his inability to remain subtle. It's enough to make him dip his head, embarrassed at his outburst.

Nobody says a word, as if the guy had just started a joke and they're waiting for the punchline. But there isn't one. Because this isn't a joke. It's very real, and it's very true. And, he loves them.

"Yeah, were in a polyamorous triad, or a throuple, or whatever you want to call it," Mateo speaks again, more confident now, of which he isn't sure from where it came. "I love them, and they love me, and they love each other." More quietly, "I hope you guys aren't mad."

"Mad? Why would we be mad?" TK's voice asks, breaking the tense silence. "We love you guys, and this isn't going to change that. Besides, Paul and I can't carry the title of the queer ones on the team alone," he jokes, domino effecting a chorus of soft chuckles, Carlos shaking his head at him.

Judd and Grace stand off to the side, next to Nancy, simultaneously speaking a "congratulations, kids."

Mateo steps closer to his boyfriend, and their girlfriend, linking his left hand with Paul's, and Paul's vacant one grabs Marjan's. They stand like this for a moment, just being there for each other.

"We'll fill out some HR forms next shift," is all Owen says, smiling at them.

"Cheers," Tommy grins, lifting her glass in the air.

Mateo is over the moon with how things turned out, and as Paul said, _no matter what, we will always have us._

From now on, the way Mateo introduces Marjan and Paul, he'll do a little something like; "Hi guys this is my girlfriend Marjan and our boyfriend Paul! I have two hands which is great cause that means double the hand holding baby!"


End file.
